Magistrate sacked for saying it was wrong for gay couples to adopt to sue Jeremy Hunt
A magistrate who was sacked for suggesting same-sex couples should not bring up children has set his sights on suing Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.
Richard Page, 70, lost his position as an NHS Trust Director and is going to claim against Hunt that he was discriminated against because of his religion.
Page was initially suspended by the NHS Trust Development Authority and ordered to take an equality course in 2014, after he refused to agree with colleagues in the magistrates court that placing a child in the care of a same-sex couple would be in its interest.
Page said to the BBC that “My responsibility as a magistrate, as I saw it, was to do what I considered best for the child, and my feeling was therefore that it would be better if it was a man and woman who were the adopted parents.”
The former NHS manager in mental health services was told his views may have a “negative impact” on the Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust before he was sacked.
Page is set to take his case to an employment tribunal on the grounds of religious discrimination under the Equality Act 2010.
He is being supported by the Christian Legal Centre. Chief Executive Andrea Williams from the group told the Mail on Sunday: “Once again we find political leaders washing their hands of Christians prepared to stand up for their faith.”
Page was represented by the controversial Williams when he attempted to sue Lord Chancellor Michael Gove.
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